The Terms of Reference describe the practice, purpose and scope of the Inquiry.
The main job of the Inquiry is:
to consider the extent to which institutions have failed in their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation
to consider the extent to which those failings have since been addressed
to identify further action needed to address any failings identified
to consider the steps which it is necessary for institutions to take in order to protect children from such abuse in future
and to publish a report with recommendations.
To do this, the Inquiry will:
consider all the information which is available from the various published and unpublished reviews, court cases, and investigations which have so far concluded
consider the experience of survivors of child sexual abuse by providing opportunities for them to bear witness to the Inquiry
consider whether institutions failed to identify such abuse and/or whether there was an inappropriate response to allegations of child sexual abuse
advise on any further action needed to address any gaps within current child protection systems on the basis of the findings and lessons learnt from this inquiry